Process of making metals weldable and malleable.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES L. LEIBY, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE LEIBY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PROCESS OF MAKING METALS WELDABLE AND MALLEABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 661,807, dated November 13, 1900.

Application filed December 5, 1898. Renewed October 181 1900- Serial No. 33,512. (No specimens.)

TO h it concern: have used in fifty pounds of copper twenty- Be it known that I, CHARLES L. LEIBY, a six grains of potassium nitrate to twelve and citizen of the United States, residing atKnoX- one-half grains of the cyanid and secured ville, in the county of Knox and State of Tenmost excellent results for casting purposes;

nessee, have invented certain new and useful but found that the metal was a little hard for 55 Improvements in Processes of Making Metals good welding. I have used in ten pounds of Weldable and Malleable, of which the followcopper fifty-five grains of potassium nitrate ing is a specification. to eleven grains of the cyanid and secured a My invention has for its object the convertmetal that would weld nicely, and I have used ing of metals which in their ordinary condiin ten pounds of copper ten grains of potas- 60 tion are not weldable into a physical condisium nitrate to five grains of the cyanid and tion in which they are weldable and of conadded seven grains of salt and fourand oneverting non-malleable metal intoamalleable half grains of borax and secured good restate; and it consists in the processof presuits. These results of a few of many exparing said metals by treatment with cerperiments are mentioned to illustrate the 65 tain chemicals whereby these objects are acscope of the invention, which consists, essencomplished, as will be hereinafter more fully tially, in treating the metalwith potassium set forth. nitrate and the cyanid in such proportions In using the chemicals they may be comand combinations as the particular result debined beforeintroduction orintroduced sepasired may require, which can easily be de- 76 rately, substantially the same results being termined by experiment or experience. The accomplished by both methods. In speaking same quantity which will be sufficient in of the compound, therefore, it willnot nectwenty pounds has also been found to proessarily' be implied that the chemicals are duce equally good results when used in ten combined before they are introduced into the pounds, which shows that the quantity above molten metal. sufficient may be varied considerably in pro- The main chemical elements employedare portion to the amount of metal to be treated potassium nitrate and a cyanid. Ihave found without departing from my said invention. that the best results are secured by the use The metal is firstreduced to a molten state,

0 of one to two parts of potassium nitrate to and just as it is ready to pour the compound one part of the cyanid. Ordinarily I comis introduced. After a moment it is then bine the two in one paper package and throw poured and cast into the desired shape. By the whole into the molten metal; but they this process perfect copper castings can be may be thrown in separately, but at substanformed without blow-holes, and they can be 5 tially the same time, without materially made hard or perfectly malleable and weldchanging the result. I have also found that able, as desired, by varying the proportion common salt and borax may one or both be and quantity of the chemicals as above deadded and substantially the same result sescribed. Brass can be treated in the same cured. The cyanid may contain part cyanid way with the same results. By this process 40 of potassium and part potassium ferrocyanid I have made both copper and brass and other or ferricyanid, or any one of the cyanids may metals and alloys so hard that tools with tembe used separately, as most available or conpered faces and edges could be made from venient. I have found by experiment that them, and also have made them tough and the proportions may be varied considerably malleable, so that they have been readily 45 within the limits of practicability. For inweldable by the common method of welding. 5 stance, I have used in ten pounds of copper The action of said compound upon said metten grains of saltpeter and ten grains of cyaals is such as to purify and render them hard nid and secured good results. I have added and tough and capable of being worked, as to this compound about the same quantity of above described.

50 salt and borer; and secured good results. I It will be understood, of course, that metals roo introducing therein potassium nitrate and a loys thereof to purify them and render them Weldable, which consists in first reducing them to a molten state and then introducing therein sim ultan eou sly potassium nitrate and a cyanid, substantially gas set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Washington, District of Columbia, this 3d day of December, A. D. 1898.

treated by the method Within described may be Welded to each other or to other weldable metals I Having thus fully described my said in ven- .tion, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is I 1. The process of treating metals which consists in reducing them to a molten state and CHARLES L. LEIBYLJL. s] Witnesses:

CHARLES T. GATES, J12, E. W. BRADFORD.

cyanid. I

2. The process of treating copper and al- 

